Iraqi Army Seizes Kurdish Family Home in Kirkuk, Orders Eviction for Military Base Construction
Kurdish family in Kirkuk ordered to vacate home for Iraqi Army base by June 12. Locals decry land grab: 'Even Saddam didn't do this.' Highlights ongoing post-2017 repression of Kurds in disputed areas.
By Ahora Qadi
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The Iraqi Army has issued an ultimatum to a Kurdish family in the village of Hasari, part of the Shwan subdistrict in Kirkuk province, demanding that they vacate their home by Jun. 12, 2025, to allow the construction of a new military outpost on their property.
On Wednesday, Khalid Hasari, the owner of the house in question, told Kurdistan 24 correspondent, “We hold the legal deed and official title to this land. What is happening here is an act of internal warfare against the Kurds—a calculated attempt to uproot us from our historical homeland.”
“In every civilized nation, armies protect citizens and national sovereignty. They do not punish impoverished families,” he added. “We call upon Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani and all responsible authorities to intervene immediately and halt the army’s actions.”
“Even Saddam Didn’t Do This to Us”
The order has triggered widespread outrage among local Kurdish residents, who see the move as part of a broader policy of marginalization and demographic engineering.
Seyran Mohammed, another resident of the area, shared his outrage with Kurdistan24: “We were given notice that if we don’t vacate by Thursday, they’ll demolish everything—trees, homes, everything. They intend to build a tank and armored battalion base on our land.”
“Even Saddam Hussein didn’t go this far,” he said, visibly distressed. “They’re killing us in the villages, denying us our salaries, and now they’re driving us out by force. Where are we supposed to go? We were born and raised on this land, and we will die on it. Our ancestors are buried here. And now they want to expel us overnight.”
Post-2017 Abuses Continue Unchecked
Seyran further recalled the grim legacy of Oct. 16, 2017, when Iraqi forces and Iran-backed militias entered Kirkuk and displaced Kurdish administrative control.
“Since that day, we’ve lived under unbearable pressure. Every day we are subjected to intimidation and harassment by the Iraqi Army and the Popular Mobilization Forces,” he said. “For nearly eight years we’ve endured. But now we’re suffocating. We can no longer stay silent.”
He concluded with a direct appeal to authorities: “In full view of Kirkuk’s officials, Kurds are being abused and displaced daily. How much longer will this injustice go unanswered?”
A Pattern of Systematic Repression
The latest incident in Hasari underscores a growing pattern of systematic repression targeting Kurdish civilians in The Kirkuk province, there has seen a surge in military encroachment, land seizures, and forced displacement since federal forces took control in 2017.
Kurdish residents and officials continue to warn that these actions not only violate constitutional and legal norms, but also jeopardize social stability in an already volatile region. Without urgent intervention, the forced eviction in Hasari could mark a dangerous escalation in the Iraqi Army’s treatment of Kurdish communities.